Theses
Please consider the following description of the application process for written papers at the DBF.
General information and requirements
In general, the rules and indications of the Dean’s Office are to be considered: Academic Programs and Graduation.
The requirements for writing a paper at the DBF are a good and well-written Research Proposal (for deviating terms see table below) as well as a deep knowledge of the respective field. Especially the relevant lectures must have been visited and passed with good marks. For writing the Bachelor Thesis at the DBF, the successful completion of the mandatory modules is highly recommended.
Application
To write a paper at the DBF a written application is required. The application must include the subsequent documents/information:
- Application Form (PDF, 64 KB)
- Research Proposal
- Curriculum Vitae
- Proof of performance (Leistungsausweis)
The Research Proposal which summarises motivation, objective, approach and expected results on 2-3 pages, is an integral part of the application and a requirement for writing a paper at the DBF. The following documents serve as a support:
Instructions to write a Research Proposal (PDF, 193 KB)
Example of a Research Proposal (PDF, 148 KB)
Based on your Research Proposal, you will receive the final assignment tasks. The DBF reserves the right to require corrections and changes in the proposal, to provide another topic or to reject your application.
The topic is proposed by the students themselves. The research and interest fields of the assistants, listed in the table below, as well as the possible specific selections of topics might aid to make a decision.
The application has to be submitted at least one month before the desired starting month. If you would like to start in the beginning of May, for example, you have to apply until the end of March.
The DBF strives to give every applicant the opportunity to write a paper at the DBF. Applications can be rejected by particular chairs for reasons of capacity though. In case of doubt, the chair makes a decision between the applicants. Please consider the availability in the subsequent table (column: Availability). In case of any uncertainties/problems concerning a rejection of your application, do not hesitate to contact the tuition coordinator and manager of the DBF, Dr. Benjamin Wilding, by e-mail (subject: Paper rejected)
The application ought to be directed in time to one of the following addresses by e-mail:
Chair | Contact | Field of interest, topic suggestions, remarks | Availability |
---|---|---|---|
Systemic risk, Financial Systems and networks, social economic networks |
Andrea Frederick |
Field of interest: Empirical analysis of large economic networks and modelling of their dynamic. At the present time, we can unfortunately accommodate students who are ready to write their thesis in English only. |
Slots available |
Banking und Regulierung |
Prof. Dr. Christoph Basten |
Limited availability for empirical Masters Theses in Stata on: (1) The role of interest rate expectations for the choice between Fixed-Rate Mortgages and Adjustable-Rate Mortgages. (2) The role of geography in mortgage pricing. |
Limited availability |
Microfinance, Financial Sector Development |
Dr. Annette Krauss | More information at https://www.csp.uzh.ch/en/universityteaching.html |
Limited availability |
Quantitative Finance, Sustainable and Responsible Finance, Environmental Finance |
Dr. Brigitte Maranghino-Singer |
Effects of negative interests on option pricing Stamp Tax and Tobin Tax in Switzerland, UK and EU |
Limited availability |
Center for Sustainable Finance and Private Wealth |
|
Academic research at highest level of rigor. (1) Decision-making processes of investors and advisors ("how do investors decide to invest"). (2) Real-world impact of investment approaches ("how to invest with impact"; "what data to use"). Applied research on key actors such as banks. More information and topics: |
Limited availability |
Quantitative Finance, Sustainable and Responsible Finance, Environmental Finance |
Effects of negative interests on option pricing Stamp Tax and Tobin Tax in Switzerland, UK and EU |
Limited availability |
|
Mathematical Finance and Quantitative Risk Management |
Mathematical Finance and Quantitative Risk Management |
Slots available | |
Sean Hofland |
Fachgebiet: Decision theory and experimental decision research Themen: Experiments on individual decision making under risk, intertemporal choice, interactions between time and risk, stochastic modeling |
Slots available | |
Prof. Dr. Michel Antoine Habib Corporate Finance |
English only. At the present time, we can unfortunately only accommodate students who are ready to write their thesis in English |
Slots available | |
Financial Economics, Behavioral Finance |
Please contact arbeiten.hens@bf.uzh.ch for applications. |
Limited availability | |
Financial Economics |
Roger Runjie Geng |
Requests have to be in English. The thesis may be written in English or German, depending on the supervisor. |
Slots available |
Finance |
Asset Pricing, Asset Allocation, Quantitative Finance, Financial Engineering. Note: The thesis should be written in English and if possible with LaTex. LaTex Template BA (ZIP, 338 KB) |
Limited availability |
|
Insurance |
Insurance and Mathematical Finance |
Slots available |
|
Prof. Dr. Cosimo-Andrea Munari Insurance |
Lilian Vögeli | Insurance and Mathematical Finance | Slots available |
Finance |
Philipp Lentner |
English only. Please send us together with your application an outline of approx. 2 pages A4 summarizing your planned thesis. For further information look up the file for Bachelor and Master Theses at Chair Nyborg (PDF, 124 KB) |
Slots available |
Steuern |
Dr. Marcel Widrig | For Bachelor- and Master thesis at PwC in the field of taxation more information can be found on this leaflet Merkblatt Wissenschaftliche Arbeit PwC (PDF, 184 KB) | Slots available |
Banking |
Ruth Häfliger | English preferred. |
Slots available |
Corporate Finance |
Dietmar Dorn |
English only. Corporate Finance, Investments, Liquidity Please send us together with your application an outline of approx. 2 pages A4 summarizing your planned thesis. |
Slots available |
Ökonometrie |
At the present time, we can unfortunately only accomodate students who are ready to write their thesis in English and also in LaTeX.
Multivariate modeling, financial asset return, portfolio optimization, use of statistical and machine learning methods for prediction.
|
Slots available |
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Moral/Ethical Decision Making and Behavior, Ethical/Responsible Leadership, Moral Intelligence, Behavioral Business Ethics & Organisational Culture |
No availability |
||
Corporate Finance |
Slots available | ||
Behavioral finance, experimental finance, FinTech, financial advice, risk communication, investor psychology & decision making |
Slots available |
Procedure
Usually, the applicants are informed at the latest two working weeks after the receipt of the application whether they have the possibility to write a paper at the IBF or not. In case of a positive answer, the responsible assistant will contact and inform you about the further procedure. Based on the Research Proposal, the final assignment of tasks will be specified and deposited at the Dean’s office.
Important: The IBF reserves the right to require corrections or to set another topic. The students are not entitled to topics chosen by them.
The period of six months starts with the personal acceptance of the topic at the Dean’s Office. Please have the exact deadline confirmed by the Dean’s office. The thesis has to be handed in at the Dean’s Office at the expiration of the time.
Literature Research
Literature research has priority during the initial phase of the thesis writing. To optimally prepare the students for this task, the DBF provides a 90-minute Literaturrecherche-Workshop in corporation with the Zentralbibliothek Zürich (ZB) at the beginning of each term. (An individual research consulting is also possible.)
Other matters
Impressions of the thesis
For the printing of your paper, we recommend Dienstleistung der Zentralstelle der Studentenschaften der UZH (ZSUZ).